A newly released Netflix sci-fi thriller that gained mass popularity has just been cancelled after its first season. The Boroughs (2026), created by the Duffer brothers, racked up millions of views in its first 10 days after its debut, with fans calling it a "masterpiece."
The show, which follows a group of retirees living in an eerie, unsettling, secure community who encounter an extraterrestrial entity, received an impressive 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite talk of a second season, entertainment magazine Deadline broke the news this week that the series has been axed.
Deadline shared: "Dubbed as Stranger Things with seniors, The Boroughs tallied a modest 5.6M views in its opening weekend."
Cast and Creator Reactions
Speaking about a second season, star Alfred Molina spoke to Variety in May and said: "I would love to carry this on. I would love for this to be ongoing. … Who knows? TV can be fickle, but it can also give you incredible opportunities. We’ve got a wonderful cast. We’ve got a great premise. The sets are all there. I’d love to do more."
In theory, this show should have been a smash hit, greenlit for multiple seasons due to its thrilling story, fantastic cast, and impressive visuals. However, other media outlets have begun speculating that the cancellation is due to budget constraints.
Budget Concerns
"Considering the ensemble cast, New Mexico filming location, VFX, and more, it’s likely costing them millions per episode," reported the Tab. They continued: "This type of investment for a company like Netflix is only worth it if it translates into millions tuning into the show, new subscribers being gained, and people actually completing it."
Netflix’s CEO, Ted Sarandos, addressed claims that the streaming site wrongfully cancels popular series. In 2023, he told Bloomberg that they have "never cancelled a successful show."
Netflix executive, Peter Friedlander, spoke to Vulture in 2022 and commented: "I get that you hear the same answer from us, and it still continues to be that: It is not metrics alone. You can’t apply the same analysis to every title. We have to look at every title specifically — what are the creative hopes for the project? What is the opportunity for the future of the storytelling? It’s more complex than it’s often painted to be. It’s obviously the most painful decision to not move forward with a show when there’s been the investment in time — not just from the storytellers and the artists but from the executives and the folks at Netflix."
Why the Cancellation Is Not Surprising
But budget isn't the only reason I'm not surprised it's axed. I really did enjoy this show, but some things are not meant to be continued. The show did not end on a major cliffhanger, or rather, one that felt important or exciting enough to see transpire in a new season.
Our heroes are now safe, "mother" sacrifices herself, but there's one question left: why does Sam's form go static in the mirror? With the supposed big evil being destroyed, what is there left of the story? With all the stakes being gone, I'm not sure how they would have kept the audience on their toes. Personally, an open-ended final scene is more entertaining and interesting than sitting through another season that would likely have flopped.
Also, ending the series now perfectly depicts the show's message. Grief is unkind, unresolved, and never-ending, and death is unexpected and promised. We must enjoy the brief life we have as much as we can. As such, we may never know what happens next with these characters after the short series, but the journey was worth it.
